Blast-furnace.



G. L. COLLORD.

BLAST FURNACE..

APPLICATION min MAR. 6. 1917.

Patented July 24,- 1917.

5 sHEETssHzer 1.

WITNESSES G. L. COLLORD.

BLAST FURNACE. APPLIcMloN man MAR. s. |917.

Patented July 24, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET '2.

G. L. COLLORD.

BLAST FURNACE.

APPLICATION min MAR. e, 1911.

LQMQGSU; Patented July 24,1917.

G- L. BLAST FURNACE.

1;2349630? APPLICATON FILED MAR. 6. 1917. Patented 24:,

5 SHEETLSHEET 4.

F l E@ IVENTOR if of 5 Patented July 24, l9l'?.

5 SHEETS-SHEET fh WITNESSES FLIYFFD dall@ PAINT FNUF..

GEORGE L. COLLGBD, OF SHARPSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BLAST FURNACE APPLIANCES COMPANY, F CLEVELAND, OI-IIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

BLAST-FURNACE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2d, 1917.

Application led March 6, 1917. Serial No. 152,918.

To all 'wlw/m t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Grenen L. CoLLoRD, residing at Sharpsville, in the county of Mercer, and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Blast-Furnaces, of which improvements the following is a specication.

My invention relates to blast furnace tops and to other apparatus of the same general nature. The object particularly in view is the even distribution within the furnace itself of the material fed in at the mouth.

rllhis matter of the distribution of the charged-in material has engaged the attention of the designers of blast furnaces to a .'ery considerable extent. The material as it is spilled from one side of the skip, in ordinary blast-furnace operation, inevitably undergoes a certain segregation: the larger pieces fly farther, while the finer pieces fall more nearly vertically from the rim of the skip. This tendency to inequality in distribution is augmented and the problem complicated by other factors: there may be irregularity in the run of material, due to preliminary handling of it; there may be irregularity due to the manner of loading the skip; the material has a tendency to bank up on that rim of the skip over which it is spilled; and the bell-rod in the furnace mouth extending as it does through the path of the spilled-in material, constitutes another disturbing circumstance. 'These conditions, with their consequent disturbing effects, require to be dealt with, in order that the supply of material to the furnace shall be uniform and uniformly distributed.

My invention, directed as it is to solving the problem which I have indicated, takes its place among others as a simple solution, convenient -in matt rs of structure and arrangement, readily applicable to furnaces already built, positive in its action, effective, anddurablc; furthermore, it is automatic in action; and, accordingly, in its use, chances of error by operators are eliminated.

rfhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Figure l is a view in side elevation of the upper part of a blast furnace, and of the skip-hoist therefor, to which my invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a like view, but to larger scale, of the furnace top and the immediately associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a third view in side elevation of the furnace top and associated parts. It is drawn to a scale intermediate between that of Fig. l and that of Fig. 2; the point of view is remote 90O from that of Figs. l and 2 and, for the sake of clearness, certain mechanical parts shown in Figs. l and 2 are omitted from Fig. 3. Fig. l is a schematic view of the driving mechanism, shown in elevation; Figs. 5-11 illustrate details of the driving mechanism; Fig. l2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation partly in section on the line XII- XII Fig. 4;.

' l is the furnace. In the mouth of the furnace is arranged the hopper 2, called the main hopper. The main hopper is provided with the downwardly opening bell 3, called the large bell. A casing 1l incloses the main hopper above, and through this casing, in axial alinement with the main hopper, is an opening in which is arranged the distributer 5.

6 is the skip-hoist, and 7 a slrip on the hoist. In Fig. l the skip is shown in full lines at the bottom of the hoist, in position to be loaded, and in dotted lines at the top of the hoist (of. Fig. 2), in position to spill its load into the distributer. 8 is the rope by which the skip is hung and raised, 9 the sheave over which the rope passes, and l0 the drum of the hoisting engine. These features are common in blast-furnace designing.

rlhe large bell 3 is hung from a crosshead l1 Fig. and is raised and lowered by the swinging of beams l2, and the swinging of these is effected by the motor element (here shown to be a steam cylinder 13 Fig. 1'), whose moving member is connected to a cross-head lil, this cross-head in turn being connected to beams l2. The large bell and the apparatus for raising and lowering it will not further concern us.

The distributor 5 is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It is a cylindrical receptacle, open above, and provided with a sloping hopperlike bottom 15 with a central opening. The opening in the bottom of the distributor is controlled by the distrilmting bell 16.

As has been said, the distributor arranged in the opening in the casing l of the main hopper. It is vertically movable (within a range not ordinarily great), and is rotary on its axis, to a degree hereinafter indicated. It siuapoixted, when the distributing bell 16 is raised, by resting on the bell itself, and, when the bell is lowered, it is supported on the rim of the opening in casing 4.

The bell 16 is secured on the distributer shaft 17. This shaft extends upward centrally through the distributer itself and is journaled for rotation in cross-head 1S. Cross-head 18 is carried on beams 19 pivoted in the frame of the structure and swung, to raise and lower bell 16, by the motor element here shown to be a steam cylinder 20, called the bell cylinder. A cage, consisting essentially of the vertical bars 212, mounted on casing 4, holds the distributer when raised on bell 16 from swinging laterally, out of alinement.

Rotation is imparted to distributor shaft 17, bell 16, and distributer 5 when carried by the bell, by means of a wheel 21, suitably mounted for rotation in the frame of the structure, to which the shaft 17 (preferably by an enlargement 22) is splined. The wheel 21 is rotated by the shifting of a piston in a cylinder 23, called the distributer cylinder, convenient-ly situated, and

' here shown to be carried on the under side of the skip-hoist framework. A rope 24 with opposite ends secured to the ends of the piston rod of cylinder 23 (the rod eX- tends through both cylinder heads), and traveling upon suitably disposed sheaves 25, 26, 27, encircles wheel 21, and to the rim of the wheel it is at one point secured. Al turn-buckle 28 may be provided for the purpose of keeping the rope 24 taut. r1`he distributor cylinder is so proportioned and the effective stroke of its piston is of such pre determined length that a full stroke will have the effect of turning the distributor through a predetermined fraction of a comi' plete rotation; preferably, and in accord with'my invention in its more specific feature, this predetermined fractionis exactly one third of a complete rotation: that is to say, the distributer turns in response to each complete traverse of the piston in cylinder 23 through an angular swing of 120. The value of such a limited and incomplete rotation will presently be made apparent.

It will be understood that, when the shaft 17 is raised and the distributer hangs suspended from beams 19, the distributer may, by the instrumentalities which have now been described, be rotated alternately in one direction or in the other; and it will further be understood that, as beams 19 are swung farther, the distributing bell 16, upon which the distributor had up to that point in the operation rested, will now move away from the opening in the bottom of the distributer,

to the position indicated in Figs. 1-3 of the drawings. `When the distributing bell is in this position the distributer is open through its hopper-likebottom, to discharge material to the main hopper 2. Thereafter the swinging of the beams 19 in opposite direction will iii-st eliect the closing of the hopper-like bottom of distributer 5, and will then lift distributer 5 from the rim of casing 4 and hold it suspended.

It remains to describe the means employed for correlating the several mechanisms and for bringing' them into successive automatic operation.

Referring tol Fig. 4, the operative relao tionships of the motor elements already mentioned is shown in a schematic manner. The bell cylinder, by which the distribut-er is raised and lowered, and when lowered opened to discharge, is indicated at 20; and the distributing cylinder, by which the distributor when raised is rotated, is indicated at 23. 30 is a steam line (other equivalent fluid pressure may, of course, be employed) and this steam line leads through two branches to two valve chests, 31 and 32. In valve-chest 31 is a valve which, turning from one to the other of the two positions indicated in Fig. 4 by the lines a-c and 5 5, reverses the steamk supply to and escape from cylinder 20, so that the piston within the cylinder 20 is driven in alternate strokes from one end of the cylinder to the other. (This cylinder is, as has been said, the bell cylinder, and, by the reciprocation of the piston within it, the distributing bell 16 is lowered and raised again, to alternately empty the distributer and to raise and carry the distributer in posit-ion to receive a charge.) In valve-chest 32 is a valve capable of being shifted from one to another of three successive positions, diagrammatically indicated in F ig. 4 by the lines a-a, Z and a-f/t. Tillich the valve is in position a-c@ the steam supply and exhaust passages are so arranged that the piston is driven to one end of the cylinder; when the valve is in position b-Zn the piston is driven to the opposite end; and when the valve is in the position aha there is no reversal, but the piston remains at that end of the piston chamber to which it had previously been driven. (Cylinder 23 is, as has been said, the motor cylinder for`rotating the distributer; and the eifective stroke of the piston within it is such that, by the shifting of the piston, the distributer-in raised position-is turned rst to the right and then to the left through an angular swing of 1200. lVhen, however, the valve comes to neutral position, there is no turning of the distributer.)

Mechanism is provided to give the following sequence in operation:

(1) The skip rises and spills into the dislli) 'tributer, which at the time is sustained on the distributing bell in elevated position;

(2) The distributer turns through an angular swing of 120o to the right:

(3) The distributing bell descends and effects the discharge of the distributer:

(t) The distributing bell rises again and, raising the distributer from its seat on the rim of casing 4l, sustains it in the initial elevated position:

(5) Step l above is repeated;

(6) The distributer turns through an angular swing of 120 to the lett;

(7) Step 3 above is repeated;

(8) rStep t above is repeated;

(9) Step l above is repeated. This time there is no turning of the distributer, but the descent of the bell ensues and steps 3 and L above follow upon step 1. Thereafter the apparatus comes again to initial position, whereupon the sequence of operation here detailed is repeated.

All of these movements, taking place in regular and recurrent succession, are conveniently accomplished by the automatic apparatus new to be described (or its equivalent), the operation being synchronized to and controlled in its operation by the recurrent rise of the skip to the furnace top.

Turning to Fig. l it will. be seen that the skip 7 in its travel on the hoist G is counterweighted, by weight 33. When the skip is at the bottom of the hoist (as shown in full lines) weight 33 hangs at its highest point; as the skip rises the Weight descends, until, when the skip reaches the spilling position above the distributer in the furnace top (shown in dotted lines, Fig. l), weight 33 has reached its lowest point (shown also in dotted lines). Suitable well known intermediate instrumentalities (not shown) may of course be employed, if desired, so that the range of movement of weight 33 shall be` but a fraction of the range of movement of the skip on the hoist. (In case-the invention is to be applied to a furnace already built, if no counterweight already exists, such an one may easily be provided.)

At a suitable place in the structure a horizontally extending shaft 34 is mounted for rotation; mechanism is provided .tor turning shaft 34, step by step, in a predetermined succession of partial and unequal row tations, in response to the successive descents of weight 33. These unequal partial i turnings of shaft 34 (together with the synehronized movement of mechanism presently to be described) e'ect the orderly sequence of operative steps enumerated above.

At the lower end of the path in which the hanging weight 33 descends is arranged a slide 35, and adjacent shaft 34 is hung a weight 36, and slide 35 and weight 36 are connected, as by the rope indicated in Fig. 1.; .As weight 33 descends and approaches the lower end of its range of movement it engages and carries with it the slide 35, and in so doing raises weight 36. These two weights 33 and 36 are shown in Fig. l, in full lines at one end of the range of movement, and in'dotted lines at the other end.

Turning now to Figs. 5 and 7, and comparing them with Fig. 1, shaft 34 will be seen to be provided with two toothed wheels 37 and 38, keyed to it and spaced apart one from the other; and weight 36 will be seen to be provided with a linger 39 which ex tends between the wheels 37 and 38 and which as weight 36 moves up and down reciprocates vertically, and in a tangential di f,

rection with respect to the two wheels. The wheels are toothed, one with three teeth, extending at three of four quadrant points about the periphery, the other with a single tooth. And the two wheels are so placed relatively one to another that the single tooth on the latter extends at that point in the periphery of' the structure as a whole where the former wheel is blank, having no tooth. This is well illustrated in Fig; 7. The finger 39 is provided on opposite sides with pins 4() and 4l, the pin 40 extending to engage the teeth of the three-toothed wheel 37, the pin 4l extending to engage the tooth on wheel 38 (when in proper position), and the pin l1 being arranged at proper distance rearward of pin 40 to etliect the end now to be described.

The parts being in the position indicated in Fig. 7, it is to be understood that weight 36 is raised. Weight 36, carrying iinger descends when the skip after spilling its load begins to descend the hoist, and rises again when the skip bearing a new load up the hoist approaches spilling position. With each such descent and rise of the skip finger 39 moves longitudinally (2'. e. vertically) from the full line position shown in Fig. 7 to the dotted line position and back again. lVhen now (Fig. 7 finger 39 descends next time, pin 40, engaging the properly positioned tooth on wheel 37, will turn shaft 3stthrough a quarter rotation (o) and will then rise again. With the next descent of finger 39, pin .l0 will engage a tooth on wheel 37 and turn the shaft 3st through a quarter rotation, as before, and then, the single tooth on wheel 38 coming to proper position and pin 4l engaging that tooth, the continued descent of linger 39 will effect the further turning of shaft 34 through a second quarter rotation. So that, on this second reciprocation of linger 39, the shaft 3st is turned through a half rotation. On the third reciprocation of hnger 39 (the third after vbeginning with the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 7) the shaft 3-twill be turned through a quarter turn, and then the rotation will be completed, and the sequence of turns now described will be repeated. Thus the shaft 34 turns each time the skip moves away from the furnace top and in an ordered succession of turns of unequal amplitude: 1) a quarter turn, (2) a half turn, (3) a quarter turn, (4) a quarter turn, (5) a half turn, and so on. That is to say, every third turn is a half rotation; the other two are quarter rotations.

A controlling device is provided for shaft 34 which, while allowing the shaft to turn as described in response to, the downward thrust of finger 39, serves two ends: it holds the shaft positively and certainly to the pre.- cise degree of turning intended, and it prevents accidental and unintended turningsuch, for instance, as might ensue in consequence of the contact, during the rise of finger 39, of the pins 41 and 42. against the tangentially disposed rear faces of the teeth with which wheels 37 and 38 are provided. This controlling device in the form found adequate and here shown, consists of the essentially square block 42 (it may on its corners be provided with friction rollers as shown) integrally carried on shaft 34, and the spring-backed block 43 bearing against, the faces of block 42 as they are successively brought opposite to it. (The spring backing for block 43 is, for the sake of clearness of showing, omitted from Fig. 7, but the arrangement and action of this controlling device will be clearly understood on ,comparing Figs. 4, 5, and 10..)

The turning of shaft 34 in the ordered succession of unequal partial rotations effects the periodic descent of the distributing bell and the incidental discharge of the distributer, and it effects also (two times out of three), and before the bell descends, the turning of the bell and with it the loaded distributer carried upon it, now 120o to the right, now 1200 to the left. As has been said, in every third cycle of operation there is no turning of the bell and sustained distributer.

I shall ldirect attention first to the vertical reciprocation of the distributing bell 16, and afterward to the rotation of the bell.

The distributing bell' 16 is raised, as has been said, by the movement of the piston in cylinder 20; as the piston is driven down the bell ascends; and the bell is sustained in its elevated position, supporting the distributer, by the steam pressure above the piston in cylinder- 20. The s'team supply to drive the piston in cylinder 2() is from the pipe 30, through pipe 44, to the valve chest 31, and thence by branch pipes to one end or the other of the cylinder. As has been said,l the valve in valve-chest,v 3,1 is a reversing valve; admitting, in its alternate positions, live steam to one end or the other ofV .the cylinder 20 while opening the 'cylinder at the opposite end to an exhaust. The

a quarter turn,Y

movement of the valve in valve chest 31 from one to the other of its alternate positions is effected by the motor 45, which conveniently takes the form of a steam cylinder supplied with steam from a common source of power with cylinders 2O and 23. The control of this valve-driving motor is automatic. Y

Steam for operating motor 45 is conducted from pipe 30, through pipe 46, to valvechest 47; from valve-chest 47 parallel steam lines 48 lead to valve chest 49; and from valve chest 49 two steam passages 50 communicate with opposite ends of thechamber within cylinder 45, and of course on opposite sides of the contained piston. The valve within valve chest 47 is movable from one to the other of two alternate positions indicated by the lines ze-a and b-Zz; and in these positions it alternately opens communication from pipe 46.130. one of the parallel pipes 48 and at the same time opens communication from the other pipe 48 to an exhaust 51. The valve in valve-chest 49 is a double-ported valve capable of being shifted from one to another of two alternate positions indicated by the linesv a-a and b-Zn and in these alternate positions it brings first one and then they other of pipes 48 into communication with one of passages -50 (and so with onel end of cylinder 45,) and brings the opposite end of cylinder 45 through the other passageway 50 into communication with the other one of the two pipes 48. From this it is apparent that the turning of either valve-the valve in valve-chest 47 or the valve in valve-chest 49-will reverse the steam supply to cylinder 45 and drive the contained piston from whlichever end ity be found to the opposite enc.

The valve in valve-chest. 47 is shifted every time thel descending distributing bell 16 comes to the end of its descent; the valve in valve-chest 49 is. shifted every time the ship after spilling its load begins to' descend the hoist.

First, of the valve in vvalve-chest 47 (of. Figs. 4;, 8y and 9). It is. provided with a crank-arm 52, by which it is swung., Crank arm 52 is se linked to a crank-arm 53 on a shaft 54 that,t with each. complete rotation of shaft 54, the valve in chest 47 is shifted from one operative position to the other and then "back again. Shaft 54 is rotated byV a spur gear 55 which it bears, meshing with an internal gear on a disk 56, borne by a shaft 57. Shaft 57 is provided with a starwheel 58, and a blockl 5.9l on a. rod 60 reciprocates to turn the star-Wheel. Starwheel 58. is held by a dog 61 against retrograde movement.` The result is that, when the rod 60- is lifted, they block 59, engaging one arm of wheel 58,4 turns shaft 5.7 but,

when the rod is free. and descends again, it 130.

swingsaside as block 59 passes the neXt arm of wheel 58, and comes to position with block 59 beneath the arm, ready for turning the wheel when the rod is raised again. A finger 62, borne conveniently by the crosshead to which the rod of the piston in cylinder is connected (see Fig. 4), engages an adjustable stop on rod and raises the rod as the cross-head comes to the end of its upward movement-that is to say, as the distributing bell comes to the end of its downward movement. When the piston in cylinder 20 moves downward rod 60 descends of its own weight. By making starwheel 58 a four-armed wheel, so that shaft 57 turns a quarter of a rotation with each descent of the distributing bell, and by so proportioning the interior gear of disk 56 and the spur-gear 55 that the one has twice as many teeth as the other, the valve in chest 47 may be thrown from one position to the other with each descent of bell 16.

Second, of the valve in valve-chest 49 (cf. Figs. 4, 5 and 6). It has been explained that shaft 34 turns whenever the skip, after spilling its load, starts on its descent down the hoist; it has been explained, further, that the turning of shaft 34 is, twice in three times, a quarter rotation and then a half rotation. A gear-wheel 63 is keyed to shaft 34; it meshes with a gear-wheel 64 on a shaft (see Fig. 4). The gear wheel 63 is (Fig. 6) blank through one quarter of its periphery; the two gears are so proportioned that, while in mesh, shaft 65 makes a half turn while shaft 34 makes a quarter turn. Shaft 65 is provided with a controlling device (Figs. 6 and 1l) similar to the controlling device already described as applied to shaft 34. lt consists in this case of a block, not a four-faced block, but diametrically extending elongate block 66, with flat opposite faces, (the ends may, as indicated, have friction rollers), and of a spring-backed block 67. Block 67 bears against block 66; yields aside to allow shaft 65 to turn; and again engages the flat face of block 66 to hold the shaft 65 precisely and surely, against minor strains, to its altornate positions of half rotation. At the end of shaft 65 is a crank 68 (Fig. 4) which, turning through a half revolution with each rotation of the shaft, through suitable interconnecting rods and levers, generally indicated by the reference numerals 69, 70,

throws the valve in valve-chest 49 from one to the other of its alternate positions." The parts are so assembled that, during the second half of the half rotation of shaft 34 (which, as has been explained, occurs once in three times), the blank portion of the periphery of gear 63 lpasses opposite gear 64; thus a regular succession of half turns is imparted to the shaft 65 from the irregular turning of shaft 34.

The shifting either of the valve in valvechest- 47 or of that in valve-chest 49 means the shifting of the motor element (the piston) in motor 45. The passages 50 are choked by adjustable needle valves; and, consequently, the reciprocation of the piston in the motor 45 is retarded; and certain slow rato of moving is thus predetermined, for purposes presently to be described. The connection between the stem of the piston in motor 45 and the crank arm 7l by which the valve in valve-chest 3l is turned is telescopic (there is loose connection between the piston-stein and link 72-Fig- 12), so that it is only as the piston in motor 45 approaches the end of its reciprocation that the valve in valve-chest 3l is turned, rst one way and then the other.

lt will now be apparent that, when bell 16 descends, the valve in valve-chest 47 is reversed; in consequence, the piston in motor 45 makes its slow traverse from one end to the other (the particular direction is immaterial); and, when it comes to the end of its stroke, the valve in valve-chest 3l is reversed, and the steam supply in cylinder 20, up to that time entering at the bottom of the cylinder, is now reversed, and enters at the top. ln consequence, bell 16 is raised, and continues in raised position sustaining distributor 4 upon itself, until a skip (having spilled a load into the distributor) begins to descend the hoist. rThereupon the valve in valve-chest 49 is reversed, and the piston in motor 45 again makes its slow traverse (again, the direction of movement is immaterial). As the piston in motor 45 approaches the end of its traverse, the valve in valve-chest 3l is reversed again, steam supply is cut olf from above the piston in cylinder 2O and admitted below the piston. Bell 16 then descends, and the cycle of operations is repeated.

Meanwhile, after the skip-load has been dumped in the distributer and before the bell 16 descends, the distributor turning mechanism operates, and this remains to be described.

Shaft 34 is provided with a crank 73 and this turns with the shaft, (l) a quarter turn, (2) a half turn, (3) a quarter turn, (4) a quarter turn, a half turn, and so on, every third turn being a half turn. This turning is imparted to the three-position valve in valve-chest 32, so that it takes the positions, (l) a-a, (2) a--a-zl e. neutral, (3) tmb, (4) 1L-ct, (5) neutral, etc., so that with every movement of the skip from the furnace top the valve in valve-chest 32 is shifted, and the movement of the piston in cylinder 23 is correspondingly controlled. It is controlled to operate as follows: (l) upstroke, (2) no movement, (3) down-stroke,v (4) Lip-stroke, no movement, (6) downstroke, etc. The effect is that, in successive operations, the distributer, after receiving the skip load, is correspondingly controlled, and turns (1) 120 to the right, (2) no turning, 120O to left, (4) 120o to the right, (5) no turning, etc. Now, since the skip spills always from the same point, the high point of the load, in consequence of this regulated turning of the distributer, is, as successive loads are discharged from the distributer, in regular succession brought to one after another of three points equally spaced around the periphery of the main b'ell. This makes for uniformity in distribution of the furnace charge.

The range of upward movement of bell 16 may be limited by adjustable stop screws 74.

It will suflice briefly to recapitulate the successive steps of automatic operation. A skip ascends the hoist and spills its load into the distributer which, raised and sustained on bell 16, is waiting to receive it. The skip then begins its descent. Immediately weight 3G (which had been elevated as the skip approached the top of the hoist) falls and shaft 34 is turned. Let it be assumed this turning is a quarter rotation. The valve in valve-chest 49 is by this turning reversed, and the piston in motor 15 begins its slow traverse. But the turning of shaft 34 has also eifected the shifting of the valve inV valve-chest 32. It will be assumed that this turning is from neutral to position a-a. Steam will thereupon be admitted to cylinder 23 to drive the contained piston from the end at which it had previously stood to the opposite end. This traverse of the piston in cylinder 23 effects the turning of head 21, shaft 17, bell 16, and sustained distributer 5, throughy an angular swing of 120g-to the right, let us say.

This turning occurs while the slow-moving piston in motor l5 is completing its traverse. As it completes its stroke the valve in valve-chest 21 is reversed; the supply of steam to cylinder 2O is reversed; and the loaded distributer, up to this point sus` tained by the steam pressure in cylinder 20, descends; the distributer rests on the rim of casing 4V, and the further descent of bell 1,6 effects the discharge of the load.

As bell 16 comes to the limit of downward movement, rod GO is raised, and the valve in valve-chest 17 is reversed. This effects the return of the piston in motor 15, the shifting of reversing valve in valve-chest 31, the reversal of steam supply to cylinder 20, and the elevation again of bell 16. As the bell rises it picks up, raises, and sustains the distributer 5, ready for a new skipload.

In the next operation shaft 34; turns through a half revolution; motor i5 functions as before; but the valve in valve-chest 32 moves through a larger range, not merely returning from posit-ion a-a to neutral, but

passing neutral and coming to position 5 4. The effect is that this time the distributer is turned 1200 to the left.

In the third operation the shaft 31 turns through a quarter revolution, the valve in valve-chest 32 comes to neutral position, and there is no turning of the distributer before its descent.

The next operation is like the first, and operations succeed one another in the sequence described.

I have of necessity in the foregoing paragraphs described with care and with much detail the mechanism shown. Otherwise, I should not have been able to make plain all of a somewhat complicated operation. It will however be understood that, in many respects, mechanical movements are shown` to be accomplished by one of several available and well recognized means; and it will further be understood that, in a larger way, the loads of material for charging the furnace may be handled according to my inven tion without employing the particular' means which I have here set forth in an exemplary way as preferred means. Accordingly, claims which ensue are to be read and understood as defining types of mechanism of which the particularA mechanism shown is but exemplary.

It will be understood that my invention is applicable not to blast furnaces merely, but generally to structures which include a chamber into which material is. to be charged and within which an even or substantially even distribution of charged-in material is desired. I mean that the ensuing claims shall be understood to define my invention in such wider and more general applicability.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a blast furnace or like structure the combination with a chamber having a top opening, of a distributer having a bottom opening and vertically movable above said chamber to and from a seat in the chamber opening, a vertically moving bell arranged beneath said distributer and in the range of its movement alternately opening and closing the opening in the distributer and alternately raising and lowering the distributer from and to its seat, means for moving said bell vertically, and means for rotating said bell, at one time in one direction and at another time in opposite direction.

2. In a blast furnace orlike structure, the combination of an open-topped chamber, a receptacle movable vertically from and to a seat in the open top of said chamber, a skiphoist and a skip movable thereon to and from dumping osition above said receptacle, means for ringing the skip onsaid hoist to dumping position above said receptacle, and means operating automatically and in corelation to said skipmoving means fee for raising said receptacle from its seat before said skip comes to dumping position and lowering said receptacle to its seat again after said skip has come to dumping position.

3. In a blast furnace or other like structure, the combination of an open-topped chamber, a receptacle movable vertically from and to a seat in the open top of said chamber, a skip hoist and a skip traveling thereon to and from dumping position above said receptacle, means for bringing the skip on said hoist to dumping position above said receptacle, means operating automatically and in corelation-to said skip-moving means for raising said receptacle from its seat before said skip comes to dumping position and lowering said receptacle to its seat again after said skip has come to dumping position, and further means operating automatically and in corelation to said skip-moving means and receptacle-moving means for rotating said receptacle after said skip has come to dumping position and before said receptacle descends.

4l. In a blast furnace or like structure, the combination of an open-topped chamber, an open-bottomed receptacle movable vertically from and to a seat in the open top of said chamber, a vertically moving bell arranged beneath said receptacle, and in its range of movement closing the bottom of said receptacle and raising the receptacle from its seat in the top of the chamber, and again lowering the receptacle to its seat and opening the bottom of the seated receptacle, a skip-hoist and a skip movable thereon to and from dumping position above said receptacle, means for bringing the skip on the hoist to dumping position, and means operating automatically and in corelation to said skip-moving means for raising said bell and sustaining said receptacle above its seat before the skip comes to dumping position and for lowering said bell again bringing said receptacle to its seat and opening the bottom of said receptacle after said skip has come to dumping position.

5. In combination vvith a blast furnace or like structure of a rotary charging receptacle, means for periodically emptying said receptacle to said furnace, and means for rotating said receptacle during tivo out of three of the intervals between successive emptyings, such rotation being first in one direction and then in opposite direction.

6. In a blast furnace or like structure the combination With the structure itself of a charging receptacle arranged in its top opening and mounted for rotation, a skiphoist and a skip rising and descending thereon and dumping successive loads into said receptacle, means operative periodically and in sequence after the dumping -of a skip-load into it for emptying the receptacle, and means for periodically rotating said receptacle tivo times out of three after it has received a skip-load and before it has been emptied, once in one direction and once in the opposite direction.

'.7. In a blast furnace or like structure having d. top opening the combination with the structure itself of a bell centrally disposed with respect lo that opening movable vertically and also rotary, a receptacle with a bottom opening alternately supported as the bell moves vertically on the rim of the bell and on the rim of the top opening in the structure itself, means for moving the bell vertically, and means for rotating the bell first in one direction and then in opposite direction.

8. In a blast furnace or like structure having an open top, the combination, ivith the structure itself, of a bell vertically movable adjacent the opening in the top of the structure, an open-bottomed receptacle resting alternately, as said bell moves up and doivn, on the bell itself and on the rim of the opening in the top of the structure, a steam cylinder to the piston of which said bell is operatively connected, a steam supply line leading through branches to opposite ends of said cylinder, a reversing valve Which in alternate positions directs steam to one side and the other of said cylinder, a skip movable to and from dumping position above said receptacle, means for shifting said valve in one direction in response to` movement of said skip, and means for moving said valve in opposite direction in response to vertical movement of said bell.

9. In a blast furnace or like structure having an open top, the combination, with the structure itself, of a bell vertically movable and also rotary on a vertical axis adjacent the opening in the top of said strueture, an open-bottomed receptacle resting alternately, as said bell moves up and down, on the bell itself and on the rim of the opening in the top of the structure, a motor for moving said bell vertically, a reversing device fo'r said motor, a skip movable to and from dumping position above said receptacle, means operated by movement of said skip for moving said reversing device in one direction, means operated by the movement of the bell for moving said reversing device in opposite direction, and means for rotating said bell.

10. In a blast furnace or like structure having an open top, the combination, with the structure itself, of a bell vertically movable and rotatable on a vertical axis adjacent the opening in the top of the structure, a receptacle having an open bottom and resting. as said bell moves up and down, alternately on the bell and on the rim of the opening in the top of the structure, a skip movable to and from dumping position above said receptacle, a steam supply line, a cylinder containing a piston driven in opposite directions by steam from such supply and operatively connected to said bell, a reversing valve in the line of steam supply to said cylinder', a second cylinder containing a piston driven in opposite directions by steam, a suitable steam supply for said second cylinder, loose connection between the piston in said second cylinder' and said reversing valve, separate means operated the one by movement of said skip and the other by the movement of said bell for reversing the steam supply to said second cylinder, means for retarding the movement of the piston in said second cylinder, `and means operated bythe movement of said skip for tin-ning said bell.

l1. ln a blast furnace or like structure having an open top, the combination, with the structure itself, of a bell vertically movable and yrotatable on a vertical axis adjacent the opening in the top of the structure, a receptacle having an open bottom 'and resting, as said bell moves up and down, alternately on said bell and on the rim of the opening in the top of the structure, a skip movable to and from dumping position above said receptacle, a motor for moving said bell vertically, a reversing device for said motor, a steam cylinder, a steam supply vfor said cylinder, loose vconnection between the piston in said cylinder and said reversing device, provision for retarding the traverse of the piston in said cylinder, a shaft, mechanical connection between said skip and said shaft, whereby said shaft is turned as said skip moves from dumping position, means operated by the turning of said shaft for reversing the steam supply to said cylinder, means operated by the turning of said shaft for turning said bell, and means opera-ted by the vertical movement of said bell for reversing again the steam supply to said cylinder.`

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE L. coLLoaD.

Witnesses SAML DIFFENDERFER,

B, L. SAMPLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. Ci. 

